Intracellular trafficking of prohormones and proneuropeptides: Cell-type specific sorting and targeting

PERONE, MJ; WINDEATT, S; CASTRO, MG

Experimental Physiology

The Physiological Society

Año: 1997

Hormones and neuropeptides are usually synthesized as large precursor molecules which mustundergo a series of post-translational modifications before they are released from secretoryvesicles after stimulation by specific secretagogues. The classical vectorial transport of precursorsand mature peptide products from the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) to their site ofrelease has been the subject of intensive studies during the past 25 years, but there are anumber of unresolved issues which still challenge cell biologists. The main issues are: (i) themolecular mechanisms underlying targeting and sorting of prohormones within the eukaryoticsecretory pathway; (ii) further identification and intracellular site of action of post-translationalprocessing enzymes; (iii) tissue-specific processing of hormone and neuropeptide precursors;and (iv) molecular mechanisms underlying intracellular transport ofl hormone and neuropeptideprecursors and their cleavage products to alternative intracellular compartments besides thesecretory pathway.